


Say That You Love Me

by StabMeLikeYouMeanIt



Series: Mattie's Big Adventure [4]
Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Daddy Kink, Developing Relationship, Fluff, Light Angst, M/M, Master/Pet, Mild Smut, Pet Names, Trans Canada (Hetalia), Trans Character, Trans Male Character, king of referenced?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-28
Updated: 2020-05-01
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:41:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23889136
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StabMeLikeYouMeanIt/pseuds/StabMeLikeYouMeanIt
Summary: Matthew and Lars begin a secret relationship, and grow closer with every encounter
Relationships: Canada/Netherlands (Hetalia)
Series: Mattie's Big Adventure [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1611304
Comments: 4
Kudos: 18





	1. Chapter 1

Sunlight shone through the window, waking the Netherlands up. He groaned quietly, squeezing his eyes shut and turning his head to the side. Shifting, he pulled the warmth in his arms closer as he rested his chin on top of the mess of hair. He contemplated going back to sleep, almost there when he heard a soft moan. Confused, he slowly opened his eyes, looking at the person in his arms. The blond snuggled up against him seemed to still be asleep, head laying against his sturdy chest and fingers clutching the shirt he had let him borrow. For a moment he wasn't sure how to feel; he knew nothing had happened, but he didn't want the boy to feel uncomfortable being so close. The younger had seemed pretty out of it last night, most likely shocked. Maybe he'd imagined the sound? No matter, he figured, he'd just go ahead and get up- Again he just barely heard a moan. This time he was sure of it.

The body in his arms squirmed, legs sliding together and rubbing up against him. He went to pull away, but froze when he heard the boy whine loudly from his fingers trailing across his skin. It didn't take long for him to connect the dots and pull away as carefully as he could. Without a word he quickly got out of bed, grabbed his phone, and made his way to the kitchen. _'He was just dreaming'_ he told himself, starting a pot of coffee as he tried to forget about what had just happened. Yeah, dreaming, sure, he could convince himself of that, though he knew exactly what kind of dream it had to be. He sighed, blaming it on him being young as he poured himself a cup of coffee. Out of habit he checked his phone, surprised at the amount of notifications he had. They were all from the American, he had forgotten they were related. Curious, he opened his messages, only to choke on his coffee.

**23:45**  
> _haha_ _, nice!_ _dw_ _, parents not back for couple of days_  
 _> heard u __talkin_ _about him mattie, u better get sum ;)_  
  


Mathieu woke up feeling more rested than he had in awhile, stretching as he grew aware of his surroundings. Firstly he noticed he wasn't in his own bed. This alarmed him at first, but as he sat up he remembered that he had spent the night with Holland. Then he noticed he was alone, smile fading as he wondered if he had grossed him out by laying with him. Heart sinking a little at the thought, he took a shaky breath and stood, instantly wincing at how sore his back was. Glancing through the door, he determined it was safe enough to pull his binder off for a few minutes. He knew it was dangerous to sleep in it, but he was too scared to even think of being around the other man without it. After stretching his back out and taking some deep breathes, he pulled his binder back into place, rubbing the tired out of his eyes as he padded down the hall to find his host.

He entered the kitchen with a small smile, unable to look at the tall man for too long- he was afraid he'd start blushing again seeing him shirtless. He took a seat at the table Holland was leaning against, pulling his legs up under him. "G-Good morning mister Abelsson!" he said cheerfully, looking up to see the man staring at him over his cup of coffee. "...Mattie," he replied curtly. Mathieu froze, smile faltering as he tried to remember if he told the man his first name. "O-oh, uh.. " he stumbled over his words, shrinking into himself at the man's unrelenting gaze. He couldn't tell what it was about, nervous he'd done something wrong. Holland ran his eyes over the chubby boy's form, as if appraising him. Finally after a tense minute he said "America messaged for you."

Confused, Mathieu took the phone being held out to him, unsure why his new friend was acting this way until he read the messages. The color drained from his face as he read what his brother had texted back, unable to help himself from shaking as he set the phone on the table. That was why he woke up alone, why he suddenly felt unwelcome, why he was being observed. He stared at the table as he heard the other shift, taking his phone back. He didn't know what to say, what to do, all he wanted to do was disappear. Holland set his empty mug down, crossing his arms as he watched the other, unable to help frowning at the boy's reaction. He gave him a moment to process what he read, but when he didn't move he started to get impatient. "Well?"

Mathieu flinched, raising his head slowly to look at the Netherlands. He was scared, ashamed of himself and more so in shock that Alfred would send that _to_ _Netherland'_ _s number!_ He dug his nails into his skin, determined to stay composed. "I-I..." he started, but what could he say? That it was a joke? He doubt the other man would believe that. He watched his face for any hint at what the man was thinking, unable to read him at all. Finally, Holland laughed- a deep, lighthearted chuckle as he shook his head. "Scared of everything... Come here" he said, jerking his head slightly to punctuate his words. Mathieu stood shakily, taking slow steps towards the man. Once he was close he was pulled into an embrace, relaxing into the strong arms around him. He returned the hug, hiding his face in his chest. "Y-you're not... angry?" he asked quietly, met with another laugh.

"No," Holland answered simply, rubbing his hand along the shorter boy's back. "Relax." Mathieu melted into the embrace, heart racing as he realized nothing bad was going to happen. He let out a shaky breath, nuzzling into the warmth the other provided. He was still shaking from nerves, biting his lip to hold back a whimper when a hand ran through his hair comfortingly. "Calm, little one. It's okay."

Mathieu blushed darkly at the name, gaining the confidence to look up at him. "S-sorry" he said softly, leaning into the hand cupping his cheek. "No more apologizing." Holland said sternly, kissing his forehead. "Just relax, I've got you."


	2. Chapter 2

Mathieu stood at the sink, washing dishes from dinner. He hummed to himself as he worked, mind wandering. It was the end of summer vacation, he had one more year of schooling before he didn't have to go anymore. It was bittersweet, knowing he had to start going to school again in a week. On one hand, it was his and Alfred's senior year. On the other hand, it meant it was going to be even harder to find time to spend with his boyfriend. Boyfriend... just thinking about the word made him smile. He had been seeing the Netherlands for about a month now, and he loved every second they spent together. Of course, he still hadn't forgiven his brother for outing him like that, but it was because of him that the relationship started.

Drying his hands off, he grabbed his phone, smiling as he opened his messages. He giggled to himself, shoving the phone into his pocket and rushing upstairs to grab a jacket. As an afterthought, he grabbed his teddy bear bag, never knowing when he might need it. He ran down the stairs, turning the corner too fast and running straight into Francis. "Mathieu, _merde!_ Slow down!" He laughed, patting his shoulder and pausing when he saw the bag on his back. "Where are you going?" Mathieu blinked, hurriedly making an excuse. "Eh? Oh! W-well, Alfie invited me to hang out with some of his friends!" he said quickly, smiling reassuringly. Francis frowned, looking at the clock. "This late?"

"W-well, we're gonna see a movie!" he came back with quickly, surprising himself with how easy it'd become to lie. The look in his father's eye screamed that he didn't believe him, but he relented with a sigh. " _D'accord,_ fine, call me when it ends." Francis ordered, giving him a hug before letting him leave. He knew something was up, Mathieu had been staying out late and been vague about who he'd been with, always saying 'Alfred's friends' or 'a classmate'. He just hoped his son was staying out of trouble.

As the sky turned into shades of red and orange, Mathieu ran into the park, now long abandoned by young children. He ran towards the river, face lighting up as he caught sight of them. "Lars!" he called, practically skipping down the path and into Netherland's arms. He nuzzled into his chest as his lover laughed, never feeling more at home than he does in those moments. "There you are Mattie, thought you'd never show up!" Alfred yelled, taking a hit before passing it off to his other friends. The short boy made himself comfortable sitting in his lover's lap, dropping his bag beside them before replying. "Yeah, w-well, papa knows something's up, I have to be careful" he admitted, feeling more than hearing Lars scoff. His brother just shrugged, switching topics as he smoked with the others. As much as he hung out with them now, he never tried smoking. Not that he thought it was bad, he just didn't really want to. He felt lucky that they respected that, no matter how much they tease him. Of course, that took a push to get them to in the first place.

 _The first time he had sneaked out to meet up with Lars and Alfred's friends, he was horribly shy. He didn't know any of the other people, and was worried they'd make fun of him. When he arrived, he accepted only a small kiss from his partner, still afraid to be affectionate in front of his brother, worried he would snitch on them. He had sat beside Lars, head resting on his shoulder as he enjoyed the cool summer breeze. The girl next to them handed the blunt to him, which he just held for Lars to use before they passed it on. He was smiling, happy they finally got to spend time together_ _when-_ _"What are you, a pussy?" the strange lady taunted. He froze, gaze dropping to his hands as he tried not to show his hurt. He just shuffled closer to Lars, feeling an arm wrap around him protectively. "What did you say?" he growled, glare fixed on the insolent girl. She paused, looking between them before frowning and looking away. "Nothin'" she mumbled, knowing better than to pick a fight with their dealer._

A kiss to his neck brought Mathieu back to reality. "Alright, _liefje_?" Lars murmured against his skin, placing a few more kisses along his jawline. He sighed happily, lacing their fingers together and nodding. "Yeah, just thinking" he admitted, eyes fluttering shut as he tried to capture that moment in his memory, blocking out all other noises. Teeth grazed lightly against the nape of his neck and he couldn't help but moan softly. The man behind him chuckled into his ear, whispering in his language. Mathieu blushed, only understanding a few words but knowing he wouldn't have wanted anyone else to hear it.

"Matt!"

Broken from his trance, Mathieu opened his eyes to see his brother watching them. His face turned red as he noticed some of the others had been staring at them. Looking away quickly, he tried not to make any more embarrassing sounds as the lips continued down his neck. "W-what?" he asked cautiously, fingers curling in the fabric of Holland's jeans. Alfred laughed, shaking his head as he responded, "Man, you were gone! He really that good?" The Canadian's eyes widened, stammering out excuses as he felt his lover's smirk against his cheek. "Just bring him home already dude, you can have the room!" Alfred teased, shaking his head. "Seriously, just let me know, I'll crash with Tommy or hit up Monika, it's no big deal I've got some condoms stashed in the-"

"N-NO!!" Alfred was cut off by a scream, stopping and looking at his baby brother cautiously. Everyone had grown quiet, staring at the now shaking boy in Lars' lap. "I can't! I-if he even g-gets n-n-near.... p-papa will... w-we won't... I-I'll never..." Mathieu rambled on, unable to complete a thought before another hit him. Tears threatened to fall down his cheeks as he became more and more frustrated with himself and scared of the scenarios playing out in his head. He didn't even realize he had started to pull at his hair until his arms were grabbed and pulled back down to his chest. Lars shifted him so the smaller boy could hide his face, shushing him gently as he held him close. "Calm, _liefj_ e, I have you..." he reassured the crying boy, pressing soft kisses to the top of his head. "We will figure something out, have patience."

Alfred looked away quickly, rubbing the back of his neck in shame. He hadn't meant to upset his brother, only tease him a little! He figured all the other would have been upset about was him making a sex joke, considering how nervous he was about revealing himself to someone new. He had forgotten all about their dad's hatred of the Dutch man; why, he had no idea, but he had no clue his little brother had been so scared about it. With a sigh, Alfred glanced back over at them, noticing how... sad Lars looked. He had never seen him like that before, but the giant of a man actually seemed to be trying to figure out a way for it to work. He sighed, mumbling a rare apology that the other accepted with a nod of his head.


	3. Chapter 3

A few weeks had passed since the crying incident, and almost every day Mathieu had apologized for breaking down like that in front of Lars' friends. Of course the man had tried to console him, reassure him he had done nothing wrong, but the small boy still felt like he had made a big mistake. They had planned to spend the last day of break together, but Lars had to take care of some "business" across town. He was disappointed, but knew from personal experience that he probably had a lot of things to fit into his short trip to the states. What he hadn't expected, however, was to come home after school the next day to see the man sprawled out on his bed, half-naked, when he opened the door.

"L-Lars?!" He finally squeaked out, quickly shutting the door behind him as he entered. The man in question propped himself up on his elbows, smirk working its way onto his lips as he purred out "Little one, finally."

Mathieu's face flushed as he dropped his backpack, shucking off his uniform jacket before making his way to the bed. "I thought you had to go home" he admitted, eyes darting back towards the door cautiously. No one was home yet, it should be fine for a bit... He tuned back in to a kiss being placed on his knuckles, unable to stop himself from smiling. Lars patted his lap, ecstatic at how quickly his lover took the cue to take a seat. The shorter boy straddled his lap with familiar ease, wrapping his arms around his neck. He giggled softly, stealing as many kisses as he could. Lars shifted to a sitting position, wrapping an arm around his waist before grabbing his chin. Pulling away, he pressed a chaste kiss to the corner of his mouth. "Change of plans."

The Dutch man held his chin in a gentle yet firm grip, watching him squirm with a pleased smile. "Had to see you again," he mumbled, thumb tracing his jawline without much thought, "Couldn't let you go back unclaimed." Mathieu froze at the last part, feeling his face heat up as his hips twitched involuntarily. A wolfish look spread across his partner's face and for the first time he felt a little scared of the much stronger man. He must have noticed this though, because it left his expression just as quickly, replaced by concern. "No, I know _liefj_ e, not yet," he reassured softly, hand moving up to card through his long hair. Mathieu couldn't look at him, ashamed of himself. "I-I'm sorry Lars, I know I said I'd try, b-but..."

"Hey..." Lars pulled his chin up so he had to look him in the eye. "It's okay, don't rush." He knew it was a sensitive topic, but not why; he didn't bother to ask either, if Mattie wanted him to know he would tell him, otherwise he'd just wait until the day he was ready. They had had the conversation many times before, but Mathieu still felt like he was just leading him on and couldn't help but be paranoid of his boyfriend leaving him over it. Finally, Mathieu nodded, dropping his head to rest against the other's shoulder. "I-I know... I'm just... No, its stupid, forget I said anything," he mumbled quickly, shivering as he felt the other's hands slip under his shirt and rest on his hips. Lars nuzzled his neck affectionately, stubble barely scratching against the delicate skin there. "Matt?" he kissed his shoulder, encouraging the other to finish his thought. The Canadian let out a shaky sigh, he only used his real name when he was serious. Trying to collect his thoughts, he bit his lip before continuing in a whisper, "I-I... don't want you to get b-bored of me... I know I-I'm not the cutest, and I'm not a genius, a-and I can't speak right, and I'm fat and gross and I don't deserve you and-"

"Matje! Enough!" Lars barked out more aggressive than he intended, inwardly cursing himself when he felt the other flinch. "You know better, little one. Don't speak like that." He ordered in a much softer tone, hugging the chubby boy close to his chest. "You are perfect to me, you know that" He sighed quietly, making a mental note of his reaction before lifting his head to press a light kiss to his lips. Mathieu's eyes watered up as he blinked tears away before they could form. "I-I'm sorry daddy..." Mathieu looked away as he said it, closing his eyes as kisses were pressed all along his face. They sat in silence for a few minutes, simply enjoying the comfort of each other's embrace. Then, Lars pulled away. "Matje, keep you eyes closed."

Mathieu did as he was told, sitting back on his thighs patiently as he felt the other shift to grab something from his duffel bag. Then he felt a light weight around his neck, heart jumping in excitement as he heard the click of it being attached. It had to be some sort of necklace, but made out of a rougher material than he was used to. He turned his head experimentally, feeling the cool metal pendant rest against his skin. "Okay, open."

When he opened his eyes, the first thing he noticed was the genuine smile on his love's face, causing him to smile in turn. Then he caught sight of himself in his brother's mirror, taken aback at first at the sight of a dog collar fastened snug against his neck. What he had assumed was a pendant was actually the name tag, which read: **Property of L**. He looked at Lars again, the question evident in his eyes. The man smirked, pulling him closer by the leash ring. "So everyone there knows you belong entirely to me." He paused between each word to kiss down his neck, hands running up and down his sides appreciatively.

"Now, I think there's plenty more to mark..."


	4. Chapter 4

Months had come and gone without a meeting, Mathieu always too busy with school or Lars having to work. In the meantime he had become much more bold at school, leaving the top few buttons of his uniform undone to show off the collar he had been given and talking freely about his "foreign boyfriend" to other students. He always remained vague, however, because he didn't want any info to make its way back to his parents. That, and he realized the questions asked most often he didn't know the answer to. This was one of those days.

"You, dating someone? Yeah right, more like you bought that gross thing for yourself to look cool."

"W-What? No, it was a g-g-gift from him," Mathieu defended himself in earnest, running his finger over the tag's inscription to maintain composure.

"Yeah? What's his name?"

"I t-told you, Lars-"

"How old is he?"

This made him pause, he knew how long the Netherlands had been around for as a country, but had never thought it that important to ask what his human equivalent was. "U-um... well..." More people had gathered around, and questions were flying at him from all directions.

"Where's he from? What's he look like? Does he have a job? Do you even know him?" He couldn't get out a single word before another question was shouted at him. Soon the entire group that had gathered around his desk were all shouting at him, he couldn't help but lower his head in shame. They were laughing at him now, it was all too much- The classroom door slammed open, startling everyone but shocking no one when the culprit spoke.

"Yo, Mattie! Guess who came back?!" the American boasted, grin faltering when he saw the scene in front of him. He knew what it had to be about, this had been happening repeatedly the past few days, but this time his smirk grew three times its normal size. "Call me Santa cause I just brought you the best present in your world!"

Mathieu was as confused as his classmates, until he saw the person behind him have to bow his head to avoid hitting it on the door frame. "L-Lars?" his voice came out in a whisper, his thoughts short circuiting as he noticed the man was still in his work clothes; a deep blue dress shirt and striped tie, complimented by black slacks, oxfords, and of course, his signature trench coat. If he hadn't known better, he would have thought the man was a teacher. Lars stood up straight, eyeing the group surrounding what was his. His eyes stopped on Mathieu, gaze softening as he smiled. "Hej, little one."

The crowd scattered as he approached, stooping down to kiss his love's forehead. Mathieu's eyes watered up as he threw his arms around the taller man's neck, pulling him back down to his height. "I-I thought you weren't coming until next week?" The taller man chuckled, nuzzling into his neck.

"Change of plans." He pulled back as he said this, opting instead to lean against his desk. The glint of metal in the sun caught his eye, and he couldn't help the dark look that took over his face when he realized Mathieu was wearing his collar proudly. " _Draag_ _je hem nog?"_ He asked, receiving an enthusiastic nod in response. "Good boy." Mathieu's cheeks reddened at the praise, his heart swelling with pride knowing he was proud of him. He could hear his classmates whispering but he didn't care, glancing at them triumphantly. He tuned back in to the taller man pulling him to his feet, bag in hand. "Huh...?"

Lars started back towards the door, pausing when he felt resistance from the other. "Come," he said simply, watching the boy shift his weight from foot to foot.

"B-but, it's only study hall, I still have a few more classes-" He was silenced by a large hand grabbing his chin. Their eyes met, and Mathieu knew he was in for it later. "It wasn't a question, little one" Lars warned, smirk playing at the corner of his lips as he looked at the boys who had been harassing his lover, "Unless... You need me to take care of them?" He punctuated his intent by flipping the edge of his coat to the side, briefly showing off the knife tucked into his waistband. The bullies screamed, backing away with false apologies spewing from their lips. Mathieu giggled, shaking his head as he held his hand. "No, its okay. It was j-just a m-misunderstanding" he relented, taking his book bag from the other and moving past him. Lars only grunted at this, glaring at the culprits before turning to follow, patting the small boy's butt affectionately before wrapping an arm around his waist as they took their leave.

The house was empty when they arrived, everyone was still at work and they had a few hours to relax. Mathieu went up to his room to change, choosing a comfortable pair of leggings and a tank top. Usually he wore long sleeves or sweaters in the house to hide his collar, or any bruises or bite marks, but he had time before his parents would get home and Lars might want to make a few more. He smiled at the thought, about to leave when he noticed his duffel bag by the door. "Lars? You're staying the night?" He called down the stairs, genuinely confused. Usually he stayed in a hotel or with friends when he came to visit. They would tell his parents eventually, but it had never seemed like a good time. Alfred answered for him, "Yeah man, got a call from mum earlier saying they wouldn't be back until way late so if I could have a friend over and he said yes without even asking for a name!" They smiled at each other, a silent acknowledgement passing between them before the older turned away. "Anyways, I'm supposed to Skype with Monika in a bit so like, don't mind me. I'll even be in the study if you guys want the room for a while." Alfred rambled, winking at his little brother as the latter walked out. He knew Alfred was just trying to boost his confidence, but he knew for a fact the first place he wanted to reveal his secret to Lars was at the man's own house. He felt much more comfortable there, not having to worry about being caught by anyone except maybe Belge on the rare occasion she visits, but she only walked in on them making out once so it wasn't a huge deal.

He entered the living room to find the other looking at the photos on the wall, all of them as a family or as children. Quickly he rushed over and tried to pull the man away, embarrassed at all the photos on the wall. The taller man laughed, picking him up with ease to stop him. "Adorable," was all he said before capturing his lips in a kiss, carrying him to the sofa before sitting and positioning the other in his lap. Mathieu pouted the whole way, protesting silently by squirming and making it more difficult for the older man to focus. "Matje, settle down" he teased, hands exploring the bit of skin around his waist not covered by the tank top. The younger shivered, arching into the light touches. A quiet whine escaped his lips as he ground his hips down without thought. Lars' breath caught in his throat; this was the first time his lover had made a move, but he knew it wouldn't escalate as far as he craved. Against his own wants, he grabbed his hips firmly to keep him from doing it again. "None of that, _liefje_." He whispered the words against his lips, waiting for the other to show his understanding before pressing their lips together, as familiar as breathing.

Time slipped away as they mapped out each other's mouths, lips dancing against one another silently. Lars barely nipped at his lip when the younger let out a soft moan, grip on his shoulders tightening. He chuckled, hand rubbing small circles on his thigh. Again, hips ground against each other as Mathieu tested the waters, rolling his hips against the man's lap, delighted to hear the other groan. He took that as a green light, pulling him closer by the tie and sucking on his bottom lip for entrance. Lars pulled away, growling out "Matt. Enough." The boy in question stopped, confused. Hadn't Lars been trying the last time they had a chance to fool around? What happened, did he change his mind about his feelings for the boy?

Lars took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. It was embarrassing how excited he had gotten from just a little bit of foreplay, but it had been such a long time since he had been able to touch his partner and he was craving it now. He sighed, running a hand through his own hair as he thought of the best way to say it. "Matt, calm down for a second. Listen to me." He ordered, seeing his own lust reflected in the boy's eyes. "I want this too, baby boy, but I want you to be sure you're ready. I don't want you to regret this." Mathieu stared at him, processing the info given. He really did want this, he could feel the man's excitement growing against his thigh and knew he was just as excited for this, but he knew if he were to rush himself Lars would probably never touch him this way again. Ever since that night he saved him, he had always been asking permission before he advanced the relationship. "I don't want to be a bad memory like red-eyes." Lars admitted, causing the boy in his lap to freeze.

As far as he remembered, he had never told his lover what had happened to him as a child. Hell, no one in his family even knew! Ever since that day they had a moment in the Strasbourg meeting hall, Lars had been protective of him, careful of his words. After a moment of thought, Lars sighed, resting his forehead against the other's "You talk in your sleep sometimes, Matje." Ah, that was it. He had noticed a few times after having a nightmare he would wake up to Lars holding him and reassuring him he was safe. He was pulled to the other's chest, head nestled securely against his chest. "I don't care if you never want to go farther than this, I want you to feel safe," Lars admitted as he ran his thumb along the boy's cheek. "You mean so much to me, Matt. I don't want you to ever feel like you need to do things for me, you're perfect. I... love you."

Mathieu looked up at him with wide eyes; it was the first time the man had ever said it out loud. His fingers curled into his shirt, reaching up to kiss his cheek. "I love you too!" he giggled, nuzzling into his chest. They sat silently in each other's embrace for a moment before Mathieu sighed, sitting up to look the taller man in the eyes. "I know you would never hurt me Lars, I'm just... scared. I'm scared that when we actually... y-you know... that you'll be angry with me. I-I haven't been completely honest, I just d-don't want you to h-hate me..." he trailed off, lacing their fingers together. Lars shook his head, bringing his hand up to kiss it.

"Matje, I could never hate you. We all have scars and stories we want to hide, it's okay. And nothing will change that."


End file.
